Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Massachusetts

A judgment is valid with or without an execution. Usually the Plaintiff will request an execution after the appeals period for the judgment expires (10 days in District Court, 30 in Superior). An execution gives the Plaintiff the ability to use specific tools provided by law to collect on the judgment: liens on real estate, levy on cars and other personal property, etc. These things can't be done without an execution. But, the judgment remains in effect even if an execution does not issue.